Bireli Lagrene & Giuseppe Continenza – Tour Summer And Fall 2013
Bireli Lagrene & Giuseppe Continenza Duo Project
Bireli Lagrene & Giuseppe Continenza Quartet feat. Dominique Di Piazza and Michael
Baker
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The legendary guitarist Bireli Lagrene is widely considered as one of the pioneering
jazz-guitar.
Biréli Lagrène was born on September 4, 1966, in Soufflenheim, Bas-Rhin Alsace,
France, in a traditional Manouche-Romani people (Gypsy) family and community. He
started playing the guitar at the age of four. He grew up in the loving but tough
environment of the "tzigane". His father Fisso (a very gifted violinist), his mother
Berga and his brother Gaiti were his biggest influences. When, at the age of eight,
he covered Django Reinhardt's repertoire, his relatives were already calling him
a child prodigy. Winning a Romani music festival in Strasbourg at the age of twelve
gave him the opportunity to tour in Germany and, later, to record his performance
on the LP Routes To Django - live At The Krokodil.
Offered a chance to leave for the United States, Lagrène met some of the most distinguished
jazz musicians on the international scene, such as Stéphane Grappelli, Benny Goodman,
and Benny Carter. In 1984, he met Larry Coryell in New York. Later, he was introduced
to bassistJaco Pastorius and ventured with him intojazz fusion. Together, they toured
Europe, which contributed a great deal to Lagrène's musical emancipation. Lagrène
has also performed live with guitarist Al Di Meola.
Back to a more traditional style, Lagrène recorded Gipsy Project and Gipsy
Project and Friends in 2002. Along with his usual cohorts Diego Imbert (double
bass) and Hono Winterstein (rhythm guitar), the latter session featured Henri Salvador
and Thomas Dutronc (son of legendary French pop pair Françoise Hardy and Jacques
Dutronc).
In 2013 he is touring with Giuseppe Continenza, a great new talent of jazz
guitar. They toured first time in 2013.
Giuseppe has been playing guitar since the age of seven. He studied classical guitar
at the Classical Music Academy in Pescara (Italy) and later moved to California
to study at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, graduating with honors.
Giuseppe has performed and recorded with many renowned artists including Bireli
Lagrene, Joe Diorio, Jimmy Bruno, Martin Taylor, Bobby Watson, Gene Bertoncini,
Gary Willis, David Friesen and Jack Wilkins. His last recording, "Seven
Steps to Heaven" (with Vic Juris, Dominique Di Piazza and Pietro Iodice), hit #4
on the iTunes charts.
He teaches modern guitar at the "L. D'Annunzio" Conservatory in Pescara and has
also taught at other schools including University of Oslo, University of Southern
California and University of New York. In 1994 he founded the European Musicians
Institute, one of the most advanced jazz schools in Europe. Giuseppe writes columns
in many magazines including Just Jazz Guitar (USA), Guitar Player, Guitar Club,
and Jazzit.
Giuseppe's upcoming projects include a trio tour with Frank Gambale and Jimmy
Bruno and a new album entitled "Tribute to Jobim, " featuring Gene Bertoncini,
Dominique Di Piazza and Pietro Iodice.
There is possibility to have it in quartet format with Dominique Di Piazza
on bass (John McLaughlin's bassist) and Michael Baker on drums (Joe
Zawinul, Wayne Shorter).
That's a unique opportunity to book this projects as a highlight for any festival
with a very interesting fee.
Further information:
Remo Firmani
artists | relations
remofirmani@tiscali.it
mobile: 3337695268
Via Rigopiano, 33 | 65124 Pescara | Italy | Phone: +39-349-090
5280 I info@emi-school.com
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